Earthworm biodiversity from Hyrcanian forests: natural vs.
agricultural
Robabeh Latif1, Farhad Rejali2, Atabak Roohi Aminjan3, Ashraf Esmaelzad2, María J. I. Briones4
1Womens’ University of Semnan (Farzanegan), Semnan, Iran
2Soil and Water Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj,
Iran 3Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
4Departamento de Ecología y Biología Animal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Vigo, Spain
INTRODUCTION RESULTS
Earthworms represent the largest component of A total of thirteen species were found belonging
the animal biomass in soil and are commonly to six genera (Table 1) and two families
termed ‘ecosystem engineers’ (Hale et al. 2005). (Megascolecidae, Lumbricidae). Distribution of
The earthworm is one of the most important earthworm population in different habitats are
members of the soil fauna because they influence presented in Table 1.
the structure, chemical composition and Dendrobaena pentheri and Dendrodrilus
distribution of plant nutrients in soil (Lee 1985). rubidus were only found in grasslands,
The presence of a species in a particular habitat however Aporrectodea caliginosa and Ap.
and its absence from other habitats show the rosea were abundant in this habitat. Ap.
species-specific distribution of earthworms in jassyensis, Perelia kaznakovi, and D. byblica
different ecosystems (Tripathi et al. 2004). Most were only recorded from forest habitats; and
studies in Iran have focused on the identification had high relative frequency in the habitat. D.
of earthworms). The preliminary study of veneta, Eisenia andrei, and Amynthas corticis
Iranian earthworms was conducted by Omrani
were only observed in cultivated habitats; A.
in 1973; this study included some sporadic
corticis was the frequent species.
surveys from different parts of Iran. After that,
The highest value of the Shannon diversity
more detailed studies were performed on the
index was recorded from forest habitats (H’ =
earthworm fauna of different regions of the
country (Latif et al. 2009, Ezzatpanah 2010,
1.31) while the lowest diversity index were
Mirmonsef et al. 2011, Farhadi et al. 2013). All found in cultivated lands (H’ = 0.712). Only
the knowledge about Iranian earthworm fauna four species (Ap. trapezoids, Ap. caliginosa,
up to now was reviewed by Latif et al. (2016). Ap. jassyensis, and P. kaznakovi) were
This study considers the contribution of abundant in their favorable habitats. Eight
earthworms to different ecosystems for species (Ap. jassyensis, D. byblica, D. pentheri,
predicting patterns in earthworm diversity. The Dd. rubidus, E. andrei, P. kaznakovi and A.
plant association present in the studied area is corticis) were habitat specific species and
the Hyrcanian deciduous closed forest (Fig. 1). found in only one type of habitats (Table 1).
Regarding to Equitability index, the highest
value were recorded in the forest (E=0.431)
(Fig. 3).
1.4
1.2
1 habitats. The more productive habitats can
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
Fig.1: Hyrcanian deciduous forest.
0
1 2
Methodology Shannon index 0.925 1.3105
Equitability index 0.36 0.431
Earthworm samples were collected from the Fig. 3: Shanon diversity and Equitability indices of
North of Iran. To collect samples, 120 stations earthworms in the studied habitats. (1: Grassland, 2: Forest
were selected. Identification of earthworms was habitat, 3: Cultivated Land).
based on morphological and anatomical
characters, according to valid keys. Relative Table 1. Earthworm population in different habitats.
abundance of different earthworm species was Bold and colored values indicate habitat specific species.
studied in various habitats in the current study Species Grassland Forest Cultivated land
(Fig. 2). Shannon diversity and Equitability Aporrectodea caliginosa 95 52
indices were calculated. Ap. trapezoides 100 38
Ap. rosea 24 0 30
Ap. jassyensis 0 127
Ap. longa 39 18
Dendrobaena byblica 0 128
B D. hortensis 0 21
A D. pentheri 33 0 0
D. veneta
Dendrodrilus rubidus
0
14
0
0
C Eisenia andrei 0 0
Perelia kaznakovi 0 117
Fig. 2: Different types of selected habitats.
A: Grassland, B: Cultivated Land, C: Forest habitat.
Amynthas corticis 0 0
DISCUSSION
Maximum species diversity in terms of
Shannon-Wiener and equitability indices was
found in forest habitats. Edwards and Bohlen
(1996) stated that earthworm richness ranged
from 1-15 species, while most earthworm
communities contain 3-6 species. Goswami
(2015) reported the occurrence of 7-11 species
from cultivated, non-cultivated, grassland,
garden and sewage soil. In this study, the
highest species richness (7 species) and
diversity was found at forest habitats. The
highest value of species richness at forest
habitat could due to food abundance and
suitable factors comparing to other kinds of
habitats. Lee (1985) stated that earthworm
diversity is greater in natural systems than the
interfered habitats. Cultivated habitats have
constant disturbance due to some activities and
gives the lowest diversity and equitability
indices. Organic material stability of soil in
forest habitats is attained due to leaf litter and
constant moisture. Stable ecosystems have high
species diversity than unstable environments
(May 1979). The factors that influence the
diversity of earthworm community at a given
locality, apart from the type of soil, climate,
and availability of organic materials, are the
land use pattern and disturbance (Edwards &
Bohlen 1996).
Vegetation maintains soil moisture and soil
living organism (Widyastuti 2004). Poor
vegetation cover and lack of plant litter in the
soil surface tend to reduce the productive of
support more species (Peet 1974). The present
observations are more or less in agreement to
the findings of Mısırlıoğlu (2010), who found
presence of natural habitats are apparently
important for high endemism rate.
3
0.712
0.278 Conclusions
Diversity and abundance of earthworms
studied in three various habitats. The
combination of ecological factors, species
specific distribution patterns and food
preferences may explain the local earthworm
Total species composition. High abundance of some
0 147 species may serve as indicator of various soil
25 163 properties and plant community. In this study,
54 forest is the best habitat for the highest
0 127 diversity. Forest habitats have higher
0 57 proportion of native and smaller proportion of
0 128 cosmopolitan earthworm species in
30 51 comparison to other habitats.
33
21
0
21
14
Acknowledgements
25 25 We would like to thank the Research Affairs of
0 117 the Soil and Water Research Institute for the
87 87 financial support.